Donna Whitehead: What is it about Bob?

Friday

Jul 31, 2009 at 12:01 AMJul 31, 2009 at 3:53 AM

It was crunch time, one day before the Destination Imagination tournament and my son and his friend were the only two left of a five-person team able to go to Saturday’s competition. That’s when Bob stepped in as a last minute replacement.

Donna Whitehead

It was crunch time. One day before the Destination Imagination tournament, and my son and his friend were the only two left of a five-person team able to go to Saturday’s competition. That’s when Bob stepped in as a last-minute replacement.

The three of them went on performing their hastily rewritten skit with Bob in the role of cameraman. They didn’t win the competition, but they won rave reviews and a special award, inspired lots of laughter and brought some people to their feet with applause. They were a hit -- my son, his friend and Bob.

That was only the beginning of Bob’s amazing appeal. Since his unexpected debut at the tournament, Bob has won friends and admirers wherever he goes. He has starred as Elvis in a musical murder mystery, was featured in my son’s class yearbook, attended my son’s teacher’s retirement party and got a volunteer job at the Plainville Public Library.

It may not seem like much to you but we’ve all been tremendously impressed by Bob’s accomplishments considering he’s only about 4 feet tall, is made of cardboard and owes his friendly grin to a black magic marker.

After his debut, Bob went to school with my son and was adopted by his sixth-grade class. They gave him clothes, sunglasses and a pair of sneakers to help him fit in. The strong silent type, Bob soon grew comfortable enough to engage in a bit of small talk (thanks to a limited supply of speech bubbles), such as “Hi my name is Bob.”

When Plainville Public Librarian Melissa Campbell visited the sixth-graders for a biography luncheon she heard Bob’s story and was so impressed she asked Bob to come to the library when school got out and help with the summer reading program.

After school ended, Bob spent a few days at our house, hanging out on the coach. He quickly became a favorite of our cat who slept on Bob’s lap (an honor few earn). Then my son dropped him off at his new post. Before the day was over one of his sixth-grade friends had paid a visit to the library and e-mails went out announcing Bob was at the library and on the job.

It’s the perfect job for Bob who has already proved so inspirational to a classroom of sixth-graders, their teachers and the other students and adults he has met.

So far at the library, Bob’s gotten to wear a cool space suit with a NASA label, taken part in story time and play Frisbee. He’s right at home surrounded by books and young enthusiastic readers just like he was Plainville’s Wood School.

So what is it about Bob? What’s the secret of his success? The key to his popularity?

I believe Bob brings about a sense of fun and imagination in those around him. When with Bob it’s easy to suspend disbelief and be a bit of a child again. And I don’t think Bob would mind if I noted he also credits his success to the imagination and sense of humor of the Wood School sixth-grade class, which took him to heart.

Bob’s a good friend. He stepped in when my son and his buddy needed a hand. Their belief in him inspired their friends to believe in him too. Those around Bob weren’t afraid to be seen hanging out with a cardboard guy with a colorful print shirt and cool shades or even give him a lead in the school play.

Bob’s very simple and accommodating. Bob’s willing to be whatever you want to him to be. You just have to believe in him.

Belief and imagination — isn’t that what summer reading is all about?

You can see Bob on the Plainville Public Library Web site at www.plainvillepubliclibrary.org or stop by in person, give him my regards and let him know what a great job he’s doing. Or visit your own local public library and see what fun and exciting events are going on with their reading programs this summer.

Donna Whitehead is editor of the Easton Journal, Mansfield News and Norton Mirror. She can be reached at dwhitehe@cnc.com.